Game industry

- Former executive director of the IGDA Kate Edwards on the game industry's attitude about crunch. A piece recently published by Game Informer features interviews from various people working in the game industry, discussing a massive labor problem that has been plaguing developers for years: crunch. "Crunch has been prevalent in the games industry for decades, and while it’s not unique to the games industry, it has become a negative practice that has perpetuated for too long," explains former executive director of the IGDA Kate Edwards. "It burns people out, discourages them from continuing in the industry, and has seriously negative effects on physical, mental, and social health." A survey conducted by the IGDA in 2015 found that 62 percent of developers said their jobs involved crunch and of those nearly one-third said crunch meant 50-59 hours of work a week. A 2014 IGDA survey found the most common reason for developers leaving the video game industry was … [Read more...] about How crunch is more than a labor issue in the video game industry

New year, new you, new game industry? We're just about 2 weeks into 2018 and already the game industry has taken unexpected directions worth analyzing. Blockchain currencies! The Switch outselling the Wii U! An actual Detective Pikachu game in the West! Since we at Gamasutra consider ourselves DECENT augurs of our industry, we're going live on our Twitch channel at 3PM EST to revisit our predictions from last year and make new guesses about 2018. It should be a fun exercise in making us look foolish 12 months down the line, so why not join us in Twitch chat to tell us why we're right (or wrong) in advance? You can also share your predictions, and have video proof that "you called it" when settling bets next year. For more editor roundtables, developer interviews and gameplay commentary, be sure to follow the Gamasutra Twitch channel. … [Read more...] about Join us at 3PM EST as we make predictions for the game industry in 2018

As 2018 gets going, analysts and game developers are consulting the oracles, reading tea leaves and experimenting with time travel in order to try and get a solid handle on what new wonders the year will bring. Sadly, since none of those things actually work, we are all left with guesswork and speculation, a wonderful and not-at-all-risky way to try and figure out the future for the game industry. With that in mind, we at Gamasutra decided to dive into the fray with some predictions of our own over on our growing Twitch channel. If you're interested in seeing 3 knuckleheads try to figure out what news they'll be reporting on in the next few months, you should definitely give it a watch. But you DEFINITELY should watch to see us eat crow for some of our predictions from last year. You should give it a watch, and while you're at it, be sure to follow the Gamasutra Twitch channel for more developer interviews, editor roundtables and gameplay commentary. … [Read more...] about Here are Gamasutra’s predictions about the game industry for 2018

Four days from today, Nintendo's latest console will go on sale. A little over four years since the launch of Wii U, a little over four months since Nintendo announced Switch, and to many, the system seems like a breath of fresh air — a game console Transformer full of potential with a steady stream of software to back it up. To some, though, the system seems incomplete. From early reports of controllers that don't properly sync to a limited launch lineup, a lack of non-game apps like Netflix, a missing Virtual Console library and lingering questions about the online service, there's a simplicity to Switch's launch that recalls the '90s — Zelda is Mario 64, and if you don't want that or a few other games, you might not need the system right away. In time, Nintendo will address those issues. Yet more than most consoles, Switch remains a bit of a mystery at launch. Are motion controls going to be a big part of it? What type of player will Switch developers cater to? And will … [Read more...] about What the game industry thinks of Nintendo’s Switch

The game industry of 2022 is big, messy and hard to find. Those who define it might be children. They could be solo developers on just enough funding to scrimp by for the next project. They could be retirees, artists or marginalized children in a war-torn country. They may create works of genius that go undiscovered until long after their death. Following up on Polygon’s recent fifth anniversary, we decided to ask a range of experts in the game industry the same question: What will things look like five years from now? While some cited practical predictions, like the rise of virtual reality, most centered around the structures that enable games to be made in the first place. And while many people see things improving, several also sounded warning bells about what the industry may be like and who may be in charge of it. The future isn’t necessarily what you think While many developers imagine a future where the game industry is overrun with new and exciting technology, many … [Read more...] about What will the game industry look like in five years?